Providing access to extra modules

Python script objects have a limited number of “safe” modules available to them by default. In the course of working with Zope, you will probably wish to make other modules available to script objects.

Allowing additional modules is risky. Do not do this if untrusted users are allowed to add or edit scripts. You may expose your deployment to full compromise, including filesystem access on the host!

The AccessControl package products provides a simple way to make modules available for use by script objects on a site-wide basis. Before making a module available to Python scripts, you should carefully consider the potential for abuse or misuse of the module, since all users with permission to create and edit Python scripts will be able to use any functions and classes defined in the module. In some cases, you may want to create a custom module that just imports a subset of names from another module and make that custom module available to reduce the risk of abuse.

The easiest way to make modules available to Python scripts on your site is to create a new directory in your Products directory containing an __init__.py file. At Zope startup time, this “product” will be imported, and any module assertions you make in the __init__.py will take effect. Here’s how to do it:

• In your Products directory (either in lib/python of your Zope installation or in the root of your Zope install, depending on your deployment model), create a new directory with a name like “GlobalModules”.

• In the new directory, create a file named __init__.py.

• Edit the __init__.py file, and add calls to the ‘allow_module’ function (located in the AccessControl.SecurityInfo module), passing the names of modules to be enabled for use by scripts. For example:

  # Global module assertions for Python scripts
  from AccessControl.SecurityInfo import allow_module
  
  allow_module('base64')
  allow_module('re')
  allow_module('DateTime.DateTime')

  This example adds the modules ‘base64’, ‘re’ and the ‘DateTime’ module in the ‘DateTime’ package for use by Python scripts. Note that for packages (dotted names), each module in the package path will become available to script objects.

• Restart your Zope server. After restarting, the modules you enabled in your custom product will be available to Python scripts.

Placing security assertions within the package/module you are trying to import will not work unless that package/module is located in your Products directory.

This is because that package/module would have to be imported for its included security assertions to take effect, but to do that would require importing a module without any security declarations, which defeats the point of the restricted Python environment.

Products work differently as they are imported at Zope startup. By placing a package/module in your Products directory, you are asserting, among other things, that it is safe for Zope to check that package/module for security assertions. As a result, please be careful when place packages or modules that are not Zope Products in the Products directory.

5.4 (2026-10-28)

• Deprecate BBB shims for allow_class and allow_module

• Add support for Python 3.15.

• Drop support for Python 3.10.

5.3.1 (2026-08-20)

• Switch to PyPI Trusted Publishing.

5.3 (2026-08-20)

• Add support for Python 3.15.

• Move package metadata from setup.py to pyproject.toml.

5.2 (2025-11-20)

• Switch to PEP 420 native namespace.

• Add support for Python 3.14.

• Drop support for Python 3.8 and 3.9.

5.1 (2024-10-16)

• Fix behavior when uploading no file in Zope >= 5.8.1.

• Add support for Python 3.12 and 3.13

• Drop support for Python 3.7.

• Show Python Scripts source code in tracebacks. #64

5.0 (2023-02-01)

• Drop support for Python 2.7, 3.5, 3.6.

4.15 (2022-12-16)

• Fix insidious buildout configuration bug for tests against Zope 4.

• Add support for Python 3.11.

4.14 (2022-07-13)

• Add support for Python 3.10.

• Remove unused classes SecurityManager and RivilegedUser from .tests.testBindings.

4.13 (2021-07-02)

• Make sure “Manager” users can always modify proxy roles (#50)

• Add support for Python 3.9.

• Update configuration for version 5 of isort.

4.12 (2020-06-03)

• Add a file parameter to factory function manage_addPythonScript (#45)

• Fix TypeError when updating an existing script from a file (#43)

4.11 (2020-02-11)

• Fix PUT issues with string encoding.

4.10 (2020-02-11)

• Override manage_DAVget to get correct editable sources (#40)

4.9 (2019-10-09)

• Prevent ResourceWarning/Error by closing default contents file (#39)

4.8 (2019-09-04)

• Show proper error message for not allowed identifiers. (#33)

• Restore History ZMI tab as Zope is supporting it again. (#38)

4.7 (2019-05-21)

• Make sure a template’s _body attribute is a native string in Python 3 (#30)

4.6 (2019-04-15)

• Fix a serious error that prevents page templates from compiling (#27)

4.5 (2019-04-07)

• Provide a single default script content template for Python 2 and 3

• Prevent deprecation warning by using importlib instead of imp (#24)

• Prevent syntax warning due to outdated default script content (#26)

• Allow for entering a title when adding a Python Script (#25)

• adding badges to the README for GitHub and PyPI

• Package metadata cleanups

• cleaned up tox test configuration

4.4 (2019-03-08)

• Specify supported Python versions using python_requires in setup.py (Zope#481)

• Add support for Python 3.8

4.3 (2019-02-09)

• Show a message instead of exception for empty file upload (#21)

4.2 (2018-10-11)

• Add support for Python 3.7.

• Drop support for Python 3.4.

• Force recompilation of scripts as the compiled code is now stored on __code__ instead of func_code.

• Add a Python 3 compatible default script. (#10)

• Fix security declaration for Products.PythonScripts.standard which was broken since version 3.0. (Zope#209)

• Fix HTTP-500 error which occurred when entering code containing a syntax error in a PythonScript. It is now rendered as error message like other errors. (#11)

• Update the tests to RestrictedPython >= 4.0b4, thus requiring at lest this version. (#17)

• Update HTML code of ZMI for Bootstrap ZMI. (#16)

• Drop support for historical versions which no longer exist since Zope 4.0a2.

4.1 (2017-06-19)

• Add support for Python 3.4 up to 3.6.

4.0.1 (2017-02-06)

• Remove bobobase_modification_time from edit template.

4.0 (2016-08-06)

• Add compatibility with webdav changes in Zope 4.0a2.

3.0 (2016-07-18)

• Remove HelpSys support.

2.13.2 (2012-09-09)

• Correct module security declaration for our standard module.

2.13.1 (2012-09-09)

• LP #1047318: Adjust tests.

2.13.0 (2010-07-10)

• Released as separate package.